Boys aggression targeted through the media with toy commercials-blog 5

As we know the media plays a big role in creating stereotypes through toy commercials, which I posted in my second blog.  The question is how does the media target boys and girls differently?  In one study I found raises the question, and a compelling argument, that the media, and the toy industry, target boys more with aggressive socialization models.  It is estimated that 2/3 of the characters portrayed on a program are male, and portrayed as more aggressive than females.

            The other interesting part of this study was how elementary school children viewed some of these commercials.  There were 103 elementary school children chosen to view 11 commercials and slides.  They also needed to rate the commercials and slides on the basis of perceived aggressiveness, stereotypic sex role behavior, and gender based appropriateness, and imagined play with toys depicted.  When the girls rated the commercials, and imagined play with the toys depicted, they said boys toys were more aggressive than boys did.  The boys rated girls toys as appropriate for girls more than girls did.  However both boys and girls rated the commercials as sex role stereotyped.  The commercials overall, that were male focused were rated more aggressive that female focused commercials.

            What is most interesting about this study is more than twice the amount of children (boys and girls) preferred to play with the aggressive toys versus the female or neutral toys.  This tells me that aggressive toys must be more desirable.

It was also interesting to find that female focused commercials were rated less aggressive than neutral toy commercials, indicating that girls play is stationary with no action involved what so ever.

            It is clear and evident that toys and the commercials add fuel to sex role stereotypes.  What is interesting is how boy’s commercials are more aggressive than girl focused commercials.  This not only tells us it is okay for boys to be aggressive, it also tells us that girls should not be aggressive.  Our society does not condone girls being aggressive, so therefor you do not really see it in toy commercials.  On the other hand, it is acceptable among society for boys to behave aggressively.  Parents condone aggression as well in boys by actually going to buy the aggressive toy depicted on the aggressive commercial.

            I have posted two videos to compare the difference in a male focused commercial, and a female focused commercial.  Note the difference in just the music alone to these two commercials.

  

References

Klinger, L. J. (2001). CHILDREN'S PERCEPTIONS OF AGGRESSIVE AND GENDER--SPECIFIC CONTENT IN TOY COMMERCIALS. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 29(1), 11.

Parents toy choices for kids: blog 4

So we should understand by now, that boys and girls, by the time they are in preschool, have acquired their own thoughts about gender.  And from my blogs, part of this association between gender and gender stereotyping come from the toys kids play with, especially toys geared toward specific genders. 

            So we know toys play a role in how kids socialize and establish gender.  The question is how do parents play a role with their own toy choice for their kids?  Do parents care if they’re little boy, or girl, play with cross gender toys?  I believe this is a broad question and would differ greatly across families, but one study I found showed how accurately preschool children, from ages 3-5 could predict their parents opinion about gender typical play and cross gender play.

            During the study the children were given a set of girls toys, and boys toys, which they could distinguish between what toys were for girls, and what toys were for boys.  The children were asked to predict what they thought their parents would say about each toy and their own choice of toy selection.  The other half of the study involved the parents’; their own views on the toys, and how they felt about gender typical play, as well as cross gender play.

            The parent responses to this study, and the children responses were completely different.  The parent responses for approval of cross gender play was a high percentage for both boys and girls, but the responses of the children, and how they thought their parents would respond to cross gender play was low, meaning that they didn’t think their parents would approve.

            The parents in this study say they rejected common stereotypes for their children, but it also shows the children believed their parents were more supportive of gender typical play toys, and less accepting of cross gender play toys. 

            The study done was a small-scale study and definitely has its limitations, but the reason why I like it is because it drives home the point that children can be products of their environment. Parents’ behaviors and viewpoints are reflected in their children, and have an impact on how a child views their own world. Whether a parent sees it or not, unconsciously they send messages about gender roles.

            The video I chose shows how preschool children view their worlds.

Freeman, N. K. (2007). Preschoolers' perceptions of gender appropriate toys and their parents' beliefs about genderized behaviors: Miscommunication, mixed messages, or hidden truths?. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(5), 357-366. doi:10.1007/s10643-006-0123-x 

Characteristics of Gendered toys

Characteristics of gendered toys?

            The toys found in this particular study show the characteristic of the toys being played with, and how children develop sex role stereotypes from gendered toys.  The toys children are playing with (that are gender typed), are telling the children what type of role they should be playing among society, and what’s expected of them. 

            The question is, are any of these gendered typed toys educational?  Are the strongly gendered toys optimal for development?  Do they serve a purpose, other than placing kids into categories by what’s considered female play and male play?  Also how are they different from one another, and what type of message do they send?

            The study that I choose used 26 different characteristics to describe the toys as either strongly masculine, moderately masculine, neutral, moderately feminine, and strongly feminine.  What was interesting about this study is some of the neutral toys also fell into the group of moderately masculine toys.  So another words the neutral toy was really, partly considered a boy toy.

            The study showed that boys have more opportunities to learn with the toys they play with.  Some of their toys are educational in the sense that they promote cognitive skills and intellectual skills.  Most of the boys’ toys come with directions for use, or require adult supervision.  Boys’ toys also develop physical skills and promote competition. Although these are positive characteristics of these toys, boys’ toys also promote violence and risky behavior.

            Most of the girls’ toys involved in the study showed that girls’ toys provide experiences that encourage nurturance and domesticity.  Girls are also taught about appearances and attractiveness through girl typed toys.

            The study showed more toys falling into the moderately masculine category providing experiences for physical, cognitive and artistic learning, and the strongly gendered typed toys were less supportive for optimal development. 

            This study only reinforces the stereotype that men should be strong, supportive, masculine (the top dog, or whatever you wish to call it), and women need to be concerned with taking care of a house, the kids, and the top dog all at the same time.  Strongly gendered girls toys (baby dolls and easy bake ovens) provide no experiences for future success in any field. While the strongly gendered boys toys (science kits and construction material) provide many avenues in which to venture.

           The video below reinforces the stereotypical characteristics found in the toys done in this study.

Blakemore, J., & Centers, R. E. (2005). Characteristics of boys' and girls' toys. Sex Roles, 53(9-10), 619-633. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-7729-0

Does the Media Create Gender Stereotypes? post 2

So my question a few weeks ago was, “Do toys create stereotypes?”  We know that through our early pre-school years we develop schemas to help us understand the world around us, and the information we gather as a child.  Part of the process of gathering this information, and putting things into schemas is through children’s play.  The question is how do these schemas contribute to forming stereotypes through play?  We obviously know play is good for children, and that it promotes imagination, cognitive abilities, as well as emotional, social and physical well-being.  The real question is, is gender specific play promoting other things, such as gender role and gender stereotypes? I think so, and we will examine this topic this week through the role of the media.

            I think it would be safe to say that the media plays a huge role in the lives of children.  Statistics suggest that over 600,000 television commercials will be viewed by the average American child in the first 20 years of life (Larson 2001).  I would also think it would be safe to say gender is established through societal influences, hence the media being one of these influences.  The media is very good at shaping how we behave and view ourselves among society. So what I am trying to say is that the media targets children, and uses toys to keep with the status quo of how society views men and women, and the stereotypical roles we play.

            The study I looked at examined gender-role stereotypes in toy commercials from the popular network Nickelodeon.  Four hundred and fifty five commercials were viewed.  Examined within these commercials were types of toys, gender portrayal, age of children, gender orientation, types of interaction, setting and the color within the setting. What I was looking for in this study was how many commercials girls and boys were portrayed in together, how many girls only commercials, and how boys only commercials.

            The run down of the study says that predominately girls were featured with girls in commercials and boys with boys.  There certainly were boys and girls featured together in some commercials, but not as much as the other. However, despite the fact that girls were with girls, and boys with boys in these commercials, the amount of times girls commercials, and boy commercials aired were about even.

            The study also said that boys commercials maintained the status quo of gender stereotypes.  Boys’ only commercials mostly featured boys playing with building stuff, sports, transportation/construction, and action figures.  Boys’ only commercials were also featured with boys playing outdoors, making them more diverse, dynamic and physical, and reinforcing the role of dominance.

            Girls only commercials mainly featured girls playing indoors, cooking, cleaning and taking care of babies, which reinforces the role that women are domesticated.

            The commercials that portrayed girls and boys together were commercials with toys that were non-gender specific.

            All in all the study tells us that the media reinforces the gender stereotypical roles women and men hold within society.  It tells our young that girls should learn how to cook, clean, take care of babies and stay pretty while doing it, and boys should learn how to provide for his family with many opportunities lying at his feet to do so.  These gender specific toys do not allow for exploration of different roles within out society. 

            I have posted a video, which portrays what this study was all about, and the medias role, and how they form children’s views on how the should behave and what’s expected in society. 

Reference: Kahlenberg, S. G., & Hein, M. M. (2010). Progression on nickelodeon? Gender-role stereotypes in toy commercials. Sex Roles, 62(11-12), 830-847. doi:10.1007/s11199-009-9653-1

The Battle of the toys!

Toys, toys, toys…they are everywhere.  You see them in commercials, advertisements, in newspapers and even in grocery stores.  Most people think to themselves that they are just toys, right?  Well, who would think these toys could be the subjects of gender stereotypes?  I never really thought much about it until now, but exploring this issue has made me stop to think and wonder if some of the toys boys and girls play with are the basis for where we learn some common gender stereotypes.  Ask yourself this question too; could children’s toys place us into particular gender roles? I think so!  Toys reinforce these roles.

            I chose this topic because I have two children, one boy (5) and one girl (9), and I see this stereotype played out everyday in my home.  I honestly have to say my children fulfill these roles to a tee and I don’t know how we got to be here.  Its not the end of the world, but its funny to sit back and reflect what I did to reinforce these roles. It happens right before your eyes and you do not even know it.  I never pushed gender specific toys.  I just let them play with what they liked.  Okay wait… that’s not entirely true.  I could blame Santa, but I suppose that wouldn’t fly. I am realizing I bought these toys for them, but it was completely unconsciously.

            Another reason why I have chosen this topic is because when I am finished with school I will be an early childhood educator, and I think this is an important topic for anyone who wants to become an educator of young children.

            This topic will be looked at from a few different angles, such as what type of message are we sending children by buying gender specific toys.  What type of message does the toy portray? What types of behaviors do these toys provoke?  Do boys’ toys encourage higher education?  What  type of message do girls’ toys portray and what are they teaching these girls?  Do boys and girls cross  gender lines during play?

            To answer these questions I will be looking into studies done by psychologist, the mass media, observations I have made in my own life, and the classrooms I have had the pleasure of student teaching in.

            To end my first blog I leave you with an interesting video.  When the video comes to the part with the girls playing with the toys, take special notice of the song, “we girls can do anything.”